A Name for the sake of a Name- Part 1

What is there in a name?

Truly a marvelous question. A name is a name. It cannot be defined further. Perhaps human beings, having a sixth sense, only have thought of the idea of each individual being called or known by a name. In due course the procedure extended to their pets also. Some of the pets have names sweeter than that of their masters. May be their masters wished themselves to be known through their pets.

Even more interesting is that, some people, apart from their names, bear surnames before or after their names, simply to acquire popularity or to highlight their status in the society. It is my strong belief that stone age people did not have individual names. Since they were few in numbers, they could identify between themselves easily and interactions between them were far less.But day by day the population began rising and binding relations paved way for more social participation. Hence the need for one to be identified individually, and smarter brains arrived at the new conclusion - to name every individual by a name - ie Rama, Koma or Krishna. The baptism ceremonies take place very early before the child attains the age One and henceforth he/she is called, known by or identified by that name thus baptized.

Day by day human population began reaching new scales and for want of more names, people began repeating one individual's name for another. Repeating the names, confusion prevailed as to whom one wants to call or contact. Then the perception of awarding initials to names bore fruit - the initials being derived from one's father's name, house name or any other name chosen by the family. When there arose cases of same names with same initials, a second initial system sprang up. I could notice some cases of people having same names with same initials and that they were given to be identified by numbers such as K. Raman No:1 K. Raman No:2 etc etc.

From my grandma I could gather that the epic Bhagavatham cites of a character called Ajamila who refused to utter the name of God althrough his life. In the end he attained Moksha by chanting the name of Lord Krishna in his death bed. As the elders in the family thought they could also attain Moksha by chanting the name of God through out their life time, they preferred to christen their children with names of various Gods and Goddesses.

Here also is a story of an old man, who refused to utter the names of Gods or Goddesses. The family members christened his children with names Krishnan, Padmanabhan and Lakshmi in the strong belief that the old man, by calling his children by their names, will attain Moksha in the end. Contrary to expectations, the old man had his own names reserved for the children to be called. At last, the man, during his last days, sinking in bed, was expected to call his children by their actual names, when they arrived to meet him in his death bed. The first to arrive was the elder one Krishnan. The old man on seeing him embraced him and burst out. Everybody expected that the old man will cry aloud " Oh! Krishna, my son"; but the old man whispered "Dey Kitchu! vanthuttiyeda".

The second one Padmanabhan arrived next. The old man's eyes twinkled on seeing his second sibling. He sprang up from his bed, holding his son's hands, he uttered " Dear Pappa I am sinking, I am drowning". On both occasions the old man fooled his relatives. But they still had hope. "What will he do with his daughter Lakshmi, whom he used to call Kada Kutty [ Last sibling]?"

The man on seeing his daughter,  took her hands in his own, patted gently and murmured . "Loving child Yatchu! I am dying" The man's hands slid from his daughter's and he went for an eternal sleep.

To him Moksha means.................

                                                                                                  [to be continued ]